Request for a simple change in next version of DAZ that would be helpful to me and others...

1) Make it so that each morph in the Parameters, Posing, and Shaping tabs have a small question mark in the header next to the lock that, when clicked, tell the name of the author, the Package they came sold with and a link to the readme online for that package.

2) Also put a check-box on each morph in the Parameters, Posing, and Shaping tabs, so that, when clicked and a selection of 'Palette' is chosen as the filter (like the filter for Currently Used) then all the ones we have selected are loaded into our "morph palette" so that we may keep those dials we want to fiddle with together and can quickly manage and use what we need. Then a Clear Palette button will remove the check-marks from all the morphs currently in your palette.

3) Make a button for Zero Pose & Zero Shape so that it can be placed in the toolbar and quickly clicked.

4) Make a "Zero Materials" feature along with a button that can be placed in the toolbar and quickly clicked that will clear all materials all at once.

If anyone has a simple suggestions, please feel free to post.

Please don't post "I want Dynamic Cloth NOW!" or "GENESIS SUCKS! POSER RULES!" or other things which would cause a major, expensive upgrade but some simple things around the UI that would make it better and more easily used.

Comments

I can think of a few simple things that could help me navigate my Scene tab.

First, a way to change the font size would help. If there already is a way to do this, I haven't found it yet. I often have to get out of my seat and get closer to my monitor to read the names of the items.

Second, the ability to have folders in the scene tab, and to be able to drag items into them. When doing scenes with lots of items, it can be problematic sometimes to find the specific item I want to select. For example, if I create a figure, any clothes or props I add to it are directly below it in the list. I add a second figure, clothe it, same thing, so far so good. After I've added a few more figures to my scene, I decide to change the clothes on the first one. The new clothes I add to the scene will appear at the bottom of the list.

If I could create a folder for each figure, I could drag all the items associated with that figure into the proper folder. Opening the folder would let me see all the items in it, closing the folder would reduce clutter in the Scene tab when I don't need to see the whole list. This is a feature that is common in audio software, where a project with dozens of tracks can be a bit unwieldy when trying to scroll down to one specific track; having folders labeled strings, brass, etc. makes the job a lot easier.

Make a “Zero Materials” feature along with a button that can be placed in the toolbar and quickly clicked that will clear all materials all at once.

Save a surface with all the default settings as a Surface preset. When you need to "zero" any materials, select them all and apply that saved surface. It's not a one-click solution, but it works pretty well.

Second, the ability to have folders in the scene tab, and to be able to drag items into them

You can pretty much do this by adding Group objects to your scene (Create -> New Group), and then drag all of your clothing or other items into them. They're nice because you can hide everything in the group at once just by hiding the Group.

Make a “Zero Materials” feature along with a button that can be placed in the toolbar and quickly clicked that will clear all materials all at once.

Save a surface with all the default settings as a Surface preset. When you need to "zero" any materials, select them all and apply that saved surface. It's not a one-click solution, but it works pretty well.

Second, the ability to have folders in the scene tab, and to be able to drag items into them

You can pretty much do this by adding Group objects to your scene (Create -> New Group), and then drag all of your clothing or other items into them. They're nice because you can hide everything in the group at once just by hiding the Group.

I hope that helps a little! :)

Thanks, the Group feature should be just what I need. Sure wish Studio had a complete manual. Now if I can get the font bigger, I'll be all set. Time for bed now; I've been up way too long.

First, a way to change the font size would help. If there already is a way to do this, I haven't found it yet. I often have to get out of my seat and get closer to my monitor to read the names of the items.

I second the size change...but also move to change the font completely.

Following up what SS mentioned about surfaces... save a non surface version of Genesis when it's first loaded to a place you can easily find it... right click on the newly saved Materials preset and choose "Create Custom Action". It will appear in your "Scripts" drop down menu. Very very handy. If you wish to get rid of old actions that no longer function it's a bit fiddly but not overly so... here's how...

Edit>Customize> Left pane.... "Customize" click the + sign and all your saves will be there... right click and choose "Delete Custom Action" and then "Apply" and "Accept" and it's done.

One of things I dearly miss about older versions of DS are two things... hand pose tool. So nice and 'handy' :P and there was another tool I think many remember, Parameters Organizer which gave you the ability to hide unused sliders so only the ones your using would be visible. VERY VERY nice! I think this correlates with Robert's 2. up top there.

Make a “Zero Materials” feature along with a button that can be placed in the toolbar and quickly clicked that will clear all materials all at once.

Save a surface with all the default settings as a Surface preset. When you need to "zero" any materials, select them all and apply that saved surface. It's not a one-click solution, but it works pretty well.

Second, the ability to have folders in the scene tab, and to be able to drag items into them

You can pretty much do this by adding Group objects to your scene (Create -> New Group), and then drag all of your clothing or other items into them. They're nice because you can hide everything in the group at once just by hiding the Group.

I have a feeling that if the font were changed, it would cause huge interface problems. I once had the font change when I was using Poser 4 (still have no idea why it happened), and the program became unusable. I don't know of many programs where you can change the interface font for that very reason.

Parameters Organizer which gave you the ability to hide unused sliders so only the ones your using would be visible. VERY VERY nice!

I agree, and I asked about this in a recent post over in the DAZ Studio forum. Didn't get any answer, but I'll try to make a request for it (you can too of course).

Helps a lot! DAZ should hire you….

Maybe to write a helpful manual!?!?

Haha, I don't think I'm up to writing a manual for a program with this many features. ;) I don't know anything about the CCT and very little about the more technical details of exporting and such. I will keep writing tutorials and answering questions when I can though. Thanks very much. :)

I have made a new toolbar but cannot figure out how to get it added to the window. Whenever I create it, right click on the toolbar, it does not give it as an option to check or uncheck to show. What did I do wrong? *smile*

Is there a way to make out own little button pics so that when we make a toolbar with no pic for the button, we can create a little image and put it in there?

I have made a new toolbar but cannot figure out how to get it added to the window. Whenever I create it, right click on the toolbar, it does not give it as an option to check or uncheck to show. What did I do wrong? *smile*

Is there a way to make out own little button pics so that when we make a toolbar with no pic for the button, we can create a little image and put it in there?

Thanks again for all your help! :)

Okay, I did find how to enable the toolbars again under Customize -> Activities (in the right side column) -> Advsdnced -> Toolbars then right click each to enable

One of things I dearly miss about older versions of DS are two things... hand pose tool. So nice and 'handy' :P and there was another tool I think many remember, Parameters Organizer which gave you the ability to hide unused sliders so only the ones your using would be visible. VERY VERY nice! I think this correlates with Robert's 2. up top there.

One of things I dearly miss about older versions of DS are two things... hand pose tool. So nice and 'handy' :P and there was another tool I think many remember, Parameters Organizer which gave you the ability to hide unused sliders so only the ones your using would be visible. VERY VERY nice! I think this correlates with Robert's 2. up top there.

Hmm, never thought of using Poser Pose. Silly me. Thanks! :-)
There are also lots of hand posing sliders (grasp, fist, etc) in the posing panel under Pose Controls (select the left or right hand first). I'm not sure if these are part of the Evolution morphs or if they are included with the base Genesis figure.

Is there a way to make out own little button pics so that when we make a toolbar with no pic for the button, we can create a little image and put it in there?

Thanks again for all your help! :)

Go to "Edit > Customize"

On the left hand side find the Action and right click on it and choose "Change Icon"

As long as the icon is square and a PNG you should be good.

Something I did for myself was I created a new folder for my icons and copied them all over there instead of using then from the default locations. And I made sure the folder was not located anywhere that DS or my Runtime is stored so that if I reinstall DS or move my runtime/wipe it out, the folder remains. This is handy since the Registry has record of the file path to those icons.

Is there a way to tell DAZ to select all the siblings or select all parents of a selected item? Like if I click on hand, then click "Select all siblings" it will select all the fingers?

It would be even more helpful if I could do that and effect the scaling on all the siblings

No, there isn't -though it should be scriptable. Though siblings are items at the same level, you mean children.

Yes, sorry. I meant children and I found out how to do it, to. By expanding the hierarchy in the scene tab and hitting shift+click on the bottom most item in the hierarchy. You can then scale, bend, twist, etc. everything all at once if you like.

Now if only someone will write that Zero Materials button for me, I would be in hog heaven. *smile*

And how DO you make a little button picture and have it associated with a function in DAZ, such as Zero Figure?

EDIT: Sorry, MattyManx! I wrote without reading the whole thread up until now and thanks!

I just want all used morphs (EG ones with values) in each group to populate on top. Say I go into head, now I must scroll through what head morphs are dialled. Yes I know I can go to currently used for the figure, buts sometimes I just want to see what is used in each group instead of an entire list. Maybe under currently used they can have Sub groups for each body part, which will only appear if there are morphs in it with values dialled.

Is there a way to make out own little button pics so that when we make a toolbar with no pic for the button, we can create a little image and put it in there?

Thanks again for all your help! :)

Go to "Edit > Customize"

On the left hand side find the Action and right click on it and choose "Change Icon"

As long as the icon is square and a PNG you should be good.

Something I did for myself was I created a new folder for my icons and copied them all over there instead of using then from the default locations. And I made sure the folder was not located anywhere that DS or my Runtime is stored so that if I reinstall DS or move my runtime/wipe it out, the folder remains. This is handy since the Registry has record of the file path to those icons.

I have a suggestion, (Mind you, I have NO idea how difficult or easy it is to achieve) I noticed that Items created outside daz... For example 3ds Max... when exported then imported to Daz, (OBJ or FBX) the Item MUST be set to zero smoothing (If not) Daz will read the smoothing, however, daz likes to replace your neat smoothing and smoothing groups with it's own. (So you end up with Double smoothing) This wouldn't be a problem if daz was to read the imported Smoothing (And Ideally Smoothing Groups) and count the imported smoothing as Daz's smoothing (So that if I were to turn off smoothing in the surfaces tab, the object would have absolutely NO smoothing).

I do know that when you import an object with smoothing and smoothing groups, it certainly imports. The problem is that you simply cant turn off that layer of smoothing. You can only turn off Daz's smoothing. (Which makes it useless for making that particular model available for download, as daz will double up on the smoothing)

I think I may be a bit confusing in my post here... Trying to make it understandable lol.

Basically, It would be good if Daz would take the imported smoothing from eg. 3ds Max (the export), and use it as it's default smoothing, instead of making it's own smoothing layer (which doubles up on the smoothing on the model). While the smoothing is daz is good, I prefer 3ds max in terms of the assigning 'Smoothing Groups'. Smoothing groups (In my opinion, is what really makes the object believable/realistic).

One of things I dearly miss about older versions of DS are two things... hand pose tool. So nice and 'handy' :P and there was another tool I think many remember, Parameters Organizer which gave you the ability to hide unused sliders so only the ones your using would be visible. VERY VERY nice! I think this correlates with Robert's 2. up top there.

Are you talking about a hand pose tool other than PowerPose?

before powerpose
there was pantomime
i think alot of features from iclone should be programmed for studio.
very useful tools in iclone...

There are also lots of hand posing sliders (grasp, fist, etc) in the posing panel under Pose Controls (select the left or right hand first). I'm not sure if these are part of the Evolution morphs or if they are included with the base Genesis figure.

Those are really handy. The weird thing is, they only show up under Parameters if I have the Actor, Wardrobe & Props tab on the left selected. If I select the Pose tab on the left, then the Parameters tab won't show the hand pose sliders. You would think that posing hands would be something you can do when you're in the Pose tab.

Also, how do you find the Power Pose panel? Er, never mind, I found it. Now it's time to play.

Spyro, it may be that you can get a similar effect using levels of detail in DS--first mport your unsmoothed object as a base, then smooth and bake your smoothing to a new export file (assuming thhats possible in max) and import that as a higher resolution level in DS.

Something I'd like is a way to toggle smoothing (for those objects that have it) at a scene level.

Say I have three or four figures in a scene with a fair number of smoothed clothing items. Rather than selecting the clothing and then toggling off the smoothing, just a single command, either as a tool button or even a keyboard command, to turn off smoothing, and then turn it on again once everyone is posed and any skirts are adjusted for legs, etc.

I think that Genesis is overly smoothed out. Muscle up Genesis, make sure the model is at low rez, put his arms up all the way and watch how hideous the deltoids look after wards. I've asked repeatedly for levels of smoothing but they told me that this is the way it is, period. My morphs for Bruno look awesome as I'm using the Arms up dial and then when I release the mouse cursor and the smoothing kicks in .... it's not what I want at all hence why i need to learn how to do controllers to make adjustments as the arms go up. If DAZ can create such cool tech like smoothing, Sub-D and all the rest then their short answer to me means nothing. There is always a way to make thing better, always.